Mutuma Ruteere, the UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, briefs the Human Rights Council. Photo: UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferré
Fiji's been urged to sign several international human rights treaties in a key report to the Geneva-based Human Rights Council.
It's also been urged to strengthen its Human Rights Commission.
The Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism presented his report this week after a fact-finding visit to Fiji in December.
Mutuma Ruteere has recommended Fiji promptly sign and ratify several key international agreements including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the ILO Convention on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples.
He said Fiji's Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission should be strengthened and its vacant commissioner positions be filled.
He's also called on Fiji to bring in measures to deal with hate speech on social media without impinging on protections around freedom of expression.
Mr Ruteere also recommended better data collection to measure how the government's policies on inclusiveness are working.
Fiji has welcomed the report describing it as constructive.
Fiji's Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva Nazhat Shameem said the special rapporteur's visit has started an intelligent dialogue in Fiji.
